What Content Are Your Children Taking In?
In the last blog, I hit pretty heavily on why we chose to homeschool over sending our kids to public school. We are very passionate about our reasons. This week, while it is not completely homeschool related, I feel it heavy on my heart to talk about how we, as parents, need to be fighting on the frontlines for our kids. There is so much opposition on us parents and we need to be vigilant and aware of who is after their minds and what our kids are being taught and are taking in.
There certainly is a time and a place for electronics, but, as the saying goes, too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. Our kids do have tablets that they use on occasion, but their use is not a daily occurrence. Next time you are out to eat, take a look around and notice how many kids are on phones, tablets, and ipads. It is not just the kids too. I notice parents with their faces buried in their phones. No one is talking and conversing with each other. They all are in their own world. Seeing families actually talking to each other and parents conversating with their children is becoming a rare sighting. Our kids do not need an overstimulating electronic shoved in their faces during times that could and should be used for quality family time. We need to remember that the days we have with our children will only last so long. Soon they will be out of the house and what will we have to say about the time we have spent with them? Was it used with our undivided attention? Did we show them what they had to say was more important than what was on our phones? Are we modeling good behavior with our own electronics? For instance, ask yourself, how much of your day do you spend on your phone? It can be a convicting question. How much of that time could be devoted to proactive parenting?
As a parent, are you paying attention and screening what content your children are taking in? Whether you believe it or not, there are people out in the world who are after the minds of the next generation, and we cannot remain naïve to this fact. Personally, we screen any movie, show, or game that they have an interest in. Thank goodness we have because we have caught subtle messages throughout these programs. During our screenings, we have seen obvious and subtle messages. We have seen anything from LGBTQ+ messages to a Ouija board in the background of a game that seemed so appropriate and innocent. Parents, I urge you, do not have so much faith in the thought “Oh, this is a kid’s game or program. It should be fine.” Please do your homework with the content your kids are taking in. Protect your children from things they do not yet understand.
This brings me to YouTube and the internet. These things are great resources when utilized appropriately, but can also rob your children of their innocence with one click. I know families who allow their children to use YouTube and the internet at their disposal with absolutely no guidelines or safety precautions. This is a dangerous decision. I certainly do not need to explain the evil that is out there on these platforms, but it is our responsibility to protect our kids from what could destroy them at such a young age.
Lastly, social media. I have a love-hate relationship with it. I love that I can keep up with family who live far away and also deliver homeschool content to families, but there is also so much drama and bullying as well. For my children, it will be a long time until they will be allowed to utilize these platforms. When it does come time when it may be an option, it will very much be determined according to their maturity level, how they handle responsibility, and how strong their relationship with Christ is. I feel, when not used appropriately, it encourages a shallow and self-centered perspective on life and relationships. I truly feel there is no benefit for kids to be on social media.
Now, others may not agree with me on some of this, and that is ok. We all have different rules and standards when it comes to raising our kids. As parents, we need to open our eyes and monitor what we are allowing our kids to take in. The world is truly after our kids and we need to teach, guide, and instruct them while we shield them from the flaming arrows of life until they are capable of doing that themselves. It is time we rise up and step up for our children!